Spout for containers



May 15, 1934 R. W. VAN DEERLIN ET AL SPOUT FOR CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 20, 1952 IN VENTORS Aid/0M V 7/10,? ATTORNEY Patented May 15, 1934 PATENT GFFME SPOUT FOR CONTAINERS Reginald W. Van Deerlin, New York, N. Y., and Mundel Urban, Union City, N. J., assignors to The Texas Company, poration of Delaware Application October 20,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to containers, and particularly to containers provided with detachable pouring spouts.

The invention contemplates the provision of a suitable pouring spout for that type of can or container which is usually formed with a pouring opening at, or near, one corner of the can top. Such containers are ordinarily formed or provided with threaded necks to which a closure member, in the form of a screw cap, can be readily attached. The threaded necks may to some extent serve as pouring spouts, but because of their short length they are not particularly suitable, especially in connection with large cans.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pouring spout for cans or containers of the type described above, and which may be at all times attached to the can or container, either in a pouring or a shipping position. In the ship- 20 ping position the spout is carried on a corner of the can, with which corner it conforms in configuration so that it is entirely out of the way,

and requires no extra space for shipping. Ac-

cordingly, it is a further object of the invention to provide a can spout which is detachable from the can and which conforms in configuration to a corner of the can to which corner it is secured when the can is in transit or storage.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear as the description of the invention progresses.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can or container to which a detachable pouring spout embodying the present invention is attached in a shipping position.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the can or container with the pouring spout attached in the pouring position.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the pouring spout.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of a can or container having a pouring spout secured in a shipping position.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary sectional views of modified forms of pouring spouts, illustrating the application of the invention to cans and spouts of different shapes.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in Figures 1 and 2 a can or container 10 formed with a top 11, and sides 12 extending slightly above the top to form a chime 13. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the body of the can is preferably formed with slightly rounded corners 14, although square corners, as shown in Figure 7, may be used.

In or near one of the corners of the can top 11 New York, N. Y., a cor- 1932, Serial No. 638,678

a pouring opening 15 is provided and a threaded neck 16 is soldered or otherwise secured to the top 11 around the opening 15. If desired, a frangible sealing disc 17 may be positioned over the opening 15, and may be held in position between the ends of the neck 16 and the can top 11. A similar disc 18 is disposed over the open upper end of the threaded neck 16, and may be held in place thereon by a threaded collar 19 formed with a restricted opening 20 in its top. The lower end of the collar 19 is formed with an outwardly extending pheripheral flange 21 adapted to function in a manner presently to be described. A detachable pouring spout 22 is provided, and the spout may take any one of several diiferent forms, but in the example of the invention illustrated, the body 23 of the spout 22 is shaped to conform to the configuration of one of the slightly rounded corners 14 of the'can 10. A channel or pouring groove 24 is thus formed between the adjacent faces of the spout and, if desired, the faces of the spout may be outwardly tapered to form a pouring lip 25.

One end of the spout 22 is closed by a plate member 26 which is formed with an opening 27 of sufiicient size to permit the plate member 26 Sit and spout to be slipped over the threaded neck 16 and to permit some lateral movement of the spout. The plate member 26 is also provided throughout a portion of the length of its free edge with a flange 28 of about the height of the chime 13. The flange 28 does not extend, at its opposite ends, quite to the body 23 of the spout 22, but

stops short a sufficient distance to provide a recase 29 of suiiicient size to accommodate the chime 13 of the can 10 when the spout is attached to the can in the shipping position, in which position the edge of the flange 28 rests upon the can top 11 and prevents the spout from tipping.

In practice the can or container 10 is filled with the desired fluid after which the disc 1'? is placed over the filling opening 15 in the can top 11. The threaded neck 16 is then securedin position on the can top in a manner so as to retain the disc 17 in a sealing position. The spout 22 is next placed in shipping position over a corner of the can with the threaded neck 16 extending upward 1y through the opening 27 in the end plate 26 of the spout. A second sealing disc 18 is then placed across the open upper end of the threaded neck 16 and, finally, the threaded collar 19 is screwed upon the neck in such a manner as to secure the disc 18 securely in position. Assembled in this manner the can is ready for shipment and the pouring 1,10

spout snugly fits the corner of the can and does not project sufi'iciently from the corner to be likely to be damaged during transit.

When the can is received by the ultimate consumer and it is desired to pour the contents from the can the collar 19 is unscrewed from the threaded neck 16, thereby releasing the disc 18 which can be readily removed. The spout is then slipped ofi of the threaded neck and placed in the inverted position, as shown in Figure 2. The opening 27 is sufiiciently large to allow the spout to be positioned entirely within the chime 13 with the plate 26 resting upon the can top 11. While in this position the collar 19 is again screwed on the threaded neck 16 until the flange 21 engages the end plate 26, and in this manner the spout is held securely in the pouringposition.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

' We claim:

1. In combination with a container having a pouring neck, a readily removable pouring spout adapted to cooperatewith said neck and comprising an elongated substantially concave member, a plate at one end of the concave member formed. with an opening adapted to loosely accommodate'the pouring neck when the spout is in either a pouring or shipping position, and means adapted to engage the pouring neck for maintaining the spout in the desired position on said pouring neck.

2. In combination with a container having a threaded pouring neck, a reversible pouring spout shaped to conform to the configuration of acorner of the container, a base plate at one end of the spout formed with an opening capable of accommodating the pouring neck in either the pouring or shipping position, and a threaded closure member removably mounted on the pouring neck and adapted to secure the pouring spout in either position on the neck.

3-. In combination with a container having a pouring neck, a pouring spout shaped to conform to the configuration of a corner of the container, a plate on one end of the spout formed with an opening adapted to engage the pouring neck to support the spout in either a pouring or shipping position, and means for securing the spout in the desired position.

4. In combination with a container having a pouring neck, a pouring spout shaped to conform to the configuration of a corner of the container, a plate on one end of the spout formed with an opening adapted to cooperate with the pouring neck to support the spout in either a pouring or shipping position, and a detachable member adapted to engage the pouring neck for securing the spout either in a pouring position or in engagement with the corner of the container to which it conforms in configuration.

REGINALD W. VAN DEERLIN. MU-NDEL URBAN. 

